The Darkside

The Cursed Father

"No, Anastasia, she's our sister!" Melissa screamed. "I don't care," Anastasia yelled as she put her hands out, sending Melissa flying against the wall. "You ungrateful wretch! How dare you, after all that we've done for you?" I said, volleying Anastasia into the wall. She got up screaming, "All you did for me? What exactly did you do for me?"

"We saved you from that evil place, but I guess you belonged there, to begin with," I said. "Really, you saved me? Have you forgotten the fact that you were the ones who put me there in the first place?" She replied, enraged. "We did what we had to do to keep everyone safe, but when we found out that you are our sister, we did everything to bring you back," I said. "Mom brought me back, not you! But it doesn't matter anymore," she said, raising her hands and chanting.

I chanted a counterspell. We continued chanting while a whirlwind blew around us, hurling everything around us to the walls and the floor. "Okay, that's it," Aunt Cassie said as she started chanting the asphyxiation spell. "Oh no, you don't," Anastasia said as she hurled Aunt Cassie away as well. "No!" I yelled as I chanted, and Melissa joined in, too.

Anastasia went flying into the wall and Aunt Cassie fell to the floor. All three of us held our hands up chanting the asphyxiation spell with the breeze making us float over the ground. Moments later, the spell worked: Anastasia lay there unconscious.

"Now what do we do?" Melissa asked, looking at me. "I have no idea," I answered. "Well, the way I see it, we should keep her like this until we find a way to get through to her," Aunt Cassie said. "Oh, I am not sure that she will ever be one of us," I said. "Come on, Octavia, don't say that. She is our sister and we owe it to her to at least try," Melissa said.

"Did you see her eyes when she sent us flying? They were amber," I said. "I saw it, but do you remember how Charlie and I were when we were Juangrands? You never gave up on us, so why give up on her?" Melissa asked. "I don't know, Melissa. I'm tired of constantly having to go through all this crap. I need a timeout," I said. "I get it," Aunt Cassie said. "You have been through so much; anyone in your shoes would feel overwhelmed. But what's important is to keep our minds focused on the big picture," Aunt Cassie said. "I hate the big picture. All I see is constant trouble," I said, walking away.

"Octavia, where are you going?" Melissa asked, following me. "I'm going for a drive," I said. "Can I join you?" she asked. "No, I want to be alone," I said. "Okay, but why don't you just walk it off? I don't want you to get in an accident in your current mood," Melissa said. "Okay, fine," I said as I left.

"Aunt Cassie, did you see that?" Melissa asked. "What, honey," Aunt Cassie asked. "Octavia's eyes," Melissa replied. "What do you mean Octavia's eyes?" Aunt Cassie asked. "They turned amber, just like Anastasia's," Melissa said. "What, when?" Aunt Cassie asked. "When she got mad with Anastasia for throwing me against the wall," Melissa replied.

"What? I didn't notice that. But this means there is a darkness in her too," Aunt Cassie said. "I told you that going to the Hidden Forest could cause repercussions for good witches," Brian said. "Yeah, yeah, we all know that I lost my soul, remember? But how do we deal with this?" Aunt Cassie asked. "Well, you're the witches. Find a spell to heal them both," Brian said."We should go check on Octavia," Christen said. "We'll do that; you see about a spell," Brian said.

I was wandering, engulfed by my thoughts and wishing we never brought back Anastasia, when a voice said, "Hello, Octavia," making me look behind. It was Anastasia's father. "What are you doing here? Weren't you taken away by some form of shadow?" I asked. "Yes, I was, but I got out and I'm not sure how long I have before it comes for me again. I'm, sorry but can we talk?" he asked. "What do we have to talk about?" I asked. "About the fact that you are my daughter, and the reason why I was cursed," he said.

"What, cursed? Who cursed you?" I asked. "My wife. She found out about me being Anastasia's father and she put things together. She knew that I slept with your mother and that all three of you are my daughters," he said. "But she cursed you?" I asked. "Yes, she's a witch, too. She kept her powers hidden because she wanted to have a normal life, but when she found out that I betrayed her with her best friend, she turned into something so scary I couldn't recognize her anymore," he replied.

I just stood there, finding it hard to fathom all this information he was giving me. "She cursed me and promised to destroy all three of you; that's why she turned Anastasia into a dark witch," he said. "Does Anastasia know?" I asked. "No, I didn't get to tell her because I was trapped in a Shadow Prison until I broke out and came to see you," he said.

There was still a faint disbelief within me, but I felt deep down that his words were true. "Dad," I said as I hugged him, feeling guilty for not believing him before. But right then, a shadow rose from behind us and began to drag Dad away from me. "No, Dad!" I yelled as I tried to pull him out, but I ended up being dragged in myself.

"Octavia, no!" I heard Christen and Brian shout as they tried to grab me, but it was too late as the darkness engulfed us both.